Read Online Because of the Baby by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A

but—”
    â€œNever mind,” he said, cutting her off. “It’s not important.” He leaned forward and rubbed his palms together. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. For the past twelve hours, as a matter of fact.”
    She stared at him, waiting.
    â€œI want you to move up to Hard Luck with me. The sooner we can remarry—”
    â€œNo,” she returned adamantly. “The baby is the last reason on earth for us to remarry.”

Chapter 4
    "You won’t remarry me?” Matt had the audacity to look shocked. “What about the baby?”
    Karen closed her eyes. She wasn’t feeling well enough to argue with her ex-husband. The nausea seemed to be worse than usual this morning and it was difficult enough to think clearly without Matt’s questions.
    â€œKaren—”
    â€œI’m fine.” She wasn’t, but explaining how awful she felt required more strength than she could muster.
    His brow creased with concern. “Will you be this sick throughout the pregnancy?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Good heavens, she prayed that wouldn’t be the case. Her doctor seemed to think the bouts of vomiting would pass after the first three months. So far, eight weeks into the pregnancy, Karen had experienced no lessening of symptoms.
    â€œAre you able to work?”
    â€œYes…no. I’ve used up all my sick leave.” It upset her to admit that. Her boss had been wonderfully understanding, butshe knew being away from her desk for days on end was a terrible inconvenience to Mr. Sullivan.
    In the past four weeks, Karen had spent an average of two to three hours a day at the office. Even when she did manage to show up, she couldn’t give one hundred percent.
    Matt got abruptly to his feet and started pacing. “Who’s your doctor? Maybe I should talk to him myself. You shouldn’t be this ill. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œThere’s no possibility this will be a multiple birth, is there?”
    Twins? Triplets? The doctor hadn’t mentioned it, and Karen hadn’t given the matter a thought. “Of course not,” she assured him, but it made her wonder. How could she ever cope with twins? Then, because he’d raised the question, she asked, “What makes you think I could be having twins?”
    â€œI read about something like this once where the wife—the woman suffered acute bouts of morning sickness and it ended up she had quints.”
    â€œQuintuplets!” Matt’s words horrified Karen, but when she glanced up at him, he was grinning from ear to ear as though the idea brought him considerable enjoyment. “Just imagine all the publicity that would bring the lodge.”
    Naturally he’d think of his precious lodge and not her. “Wipe that smile off your face, Matthew Caldwell.”
    Matt sat back down and leaned forward. “This is pretty incredible, you know.”
    That wasn’t the impression he’d given her the night before. Okay, the news had come as a shock, but he had a long way to go to play his part in her fantasy. She’d pictured him bringing her a huge bouquet of flowers and a large teddy bear. So far, all he’d brought her was a bunch of silly questions and an outrageous demand. He assumed that because she was pregnant they should remarry as soon as possible. Sweep their difficulties under the rug and pretend they didn’t exist—that was Matt’s way of dealing with most things, including her pregnancy.
    â€œThink about it, Karen,” he went on, cocky grin firmly back in place. “In all the years we’ve known each other, the night of Lanni’s wedding was probably the only time we ever made love without protection.”
    That was the last thing she wanted to be reminded of, especially when she felt so wretched. She stayed on the sofa with her head hanging over the edge